OTAGO.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XX, Issue 14, 13 February 1861, Page 3

OTAGO.

Our papers from the South contain some singular news respecting the conduct of the Superintendent of Otago, and the position of political affairs there, particulars of which will be fouud iv the extracts below. The southern portion of the province is about to have a newspaper of its own, the Southern News, to be published at Invercargill ; and as branches of both the Union Bank of Australia aud the Ovieutal have been opened at luvercargill, we are led to infer that that portion of the province is likewise prospering rapidly. We shall be sorry to hear of the material prosperity of this fine province receiving any check through the circumstances referred to in our extracts :—: —

Provincial, Prospects. — Another year of commercial prosperity lias closed upon us, and to many, no doubt, the prospects of the new one will appear equally good. The woolgrowers are doubtless rejoicing at the competition exhibited this season by new buyers, and. at the good demand iv London at enhauced rates. The farmers' mouths are watering at the long prices paying for oatSj not only for present but alao for future delivery, and at the prospect of a demand for wheat beyond their

power of supplying. Nevertheless, we cannot but regard the present aspect of thiugs abroad and at home with an uneasiness we never before experienced. If there is any truth iv the supposition that coming events cast their shadows before them, the European news lately to hand is pregnant with them, and with the conflagration likely to burst forth in another mouth or two ; and who can say to what extent we shall be most seriously affected 1 In this, however, other colonies will equally share, and no discredit will accrue to us ; but, locally, our misgivings aye of another complexion altogether. The popular government, from which so much was expected, has been chiefly occupied with chimerical, instead of practical schemes, and has eliminated but one distiuct line of policy, that of defiance of the Provincial Council. The public funds have not only been misappropriated, but have been tampered with for private purposes by the highest officials in a mauuer the reckless character of which can only be exceeded by that which marks the conduct of one of the parties towards his unfortunate creditors. In no other settlement would it be allowed to pass with impuuity ; and we fear that a blow has been inflicted upou the credit of the province, to say nothing of individual embarrassment and possible ruin, from which it will take years of ordinary prosperity to recover. Public faith aud private confidence have been shaken to the very centre ; and just at the very moment when all our energies are required for the consolidation of the province, the perfecting of our steam communication, and other most important objects, the conduct of the Superintendent has rendered the maintenance of the iutegrity of the proviuce almost hopeless, the coastal steam service will probably be broken up, all public energy is paralyzed, and every man is apparently left to do that which is right iv his own eyes, with a miserable example before him of the way in which he may walk. Passing on from the disagreeable duty which devolves upon us as journalists, we are happy to record that immigration has continued to flow in upon us on a moderate scale, and that all those suited to a colonial life have met with immediate and profitable employment, whilst the arrival of the Lady Egidia, now overdue is looked forward to by employers with some impatieuce. The revenue for the quarter euded 31st December last was as follows :—: —

The balance of £22,720 10s. sd. in hand on the 30th September, is thus reduced to .£5,430 7s. sd. The resumption of the land sales will, however, it may be presumed, bring the revenue and the expenditure to a more satisfactory level at the close of the current financial quarter.-— Otago Colonist, January 25. The Public Accounts. — Dr. Knight, the Auditor-General, has been engaged during the whole week in the discharge of the onerous duties of his commission, which, we believe, have now nearly arrived at their termination. The result, of course, will not be made known until it has been submitted to his Excellency. — Ib. Rev. Thomas Burns, D.D. — We have great pleasure in announcing that the University of Edinburgh has conferred the degree of D.D. on the Rev. Thomas Burns. This is a well-merited honour. As a theologian, Mr. Burns' s discourses are more likely to be expected in the Divinity Halls of the Universities of Britain than in the quiet obscurity of an Otago congregation. Mr. Burns has now reached the f>sth year of his age; the best thirtyfour years of his life have been devoted to the Christian ministry. Dr. Burns, as we may now call him, was the fouuder of the Presbyterian Church of Otago. — Witness.

The Lady Egidia. — This fine immigrant vessel, the largest that has ever visited Otago, arrived at the Heads on Saturday last, after a voyage of about 104 days from Glasgow. On her departure she had on board 438 souls, equal to 371 statute adults, comprising 58 married couples, 137 single males, 70 single females, 90 children between 1 and 12, and 19 infants, but this number has been decreased by the occurrence of 32 deaths against 7 births. The deaths were, with two exceptions, those of children, from causes detailed below. The two adults were young men who were in a very bad state of health when they embarked. The passage was on the whole a pleasant one, although some bad weather was encountered soon after starting, and calms and fog tantalized the passengers with the sight of land for several days after making New Zealand. — Colonist, February 1.

New Gaol. — Extraordinary Proceeding. — Considerable surprise was excited in town on Tuesday morning by the information that Carisbrook, the residence of Mr. Macaudrew, had been proclaimed by the Superintendent a public gaol. Before narrating the circumstances, it may be necessary to put our readers in possession of the law under which this proceeding was adopted. By the second clause of the Prisons Act, the Governor is authorized to proclaim any building a public gaol, aud by another clause of the same Act, the Visiting Justices are empowered to order the removal of any prisoner from one gaol to another. By the Empowering Ordinance passed by the Provincial Council, the powers exercised by the Governor under the firstiiamed Act are delegated to the Superintendent. It appears that Mr. Macaudrew was arrested on Monday evening at the suit of Mr. N. Chalmers, for a debt amounting to between £3,000 and £4,000. He soon afterwards drew up a proclamation (not yet published), declaring Carisbrook a public gaol ; and also a letter, signed by himself as a Visiting Justice (which he is not, except he appointed himself such at the moment), ordering his own removal to Carisbrook, which was handed to the g&otec, «XXi iairaetfCacety c&me<£ meo effect -, and there he still remains, under the charge of a turnkey. How and when is all this to end ? — Colonist, February 1 . j

Shipping. — Our port has been a busy scene during the puat week, the arrivals) uud depar-

tures having been numerous. The Sarah H. Snow, from New York via Geelong, arrived on

Friday, with 2,2.30 sheep from the latter port, and part of her original cargo. The Cosmo-

polite sailed for Hobart Town the same day. On Saturday, the Lady Egidia, with immigrants from Glasgow, anchored outside the heads, and was towed to Port Chalmers on Monday morning. The Pirate steamer, from Melbourne, came in on Sunday afternoon, and

the Victory, from Canterbury, on Tuesday, having the brig Yarrow, from Sydney, in tow. The Dunediu, from Auckland, with timber, arrived the same day ; and the Sarah Snow, for Hong Kong, and Acasta, for Callao, sailed on Wednesday ; the Pirate also sailed for Melbourne on Wednesday evening. The Airedale, from Nelson, is hourly expected ; and the Victory will leave for Melbourne, with the English mail, the day after the Airedale's arrival.

Native Flax — We are informed that Mr. A. Macdonald has perfected the model of a machiue for the preparation of this article, the cost of which would be about £200, and by which the fibre can be brought into a marketable coudition at far less expense than that fixed by the General Government iv its offer of a reward (seventy-five per cent, of the market price). As the time for claiming the reward is extended to the Ist Jauuary next, the -impor-

tance of ascertaining whether we cannot produce a paying article of export is sufficient to render an examination of the machine by com-

petent parties advisable ; and, if the project be considered feasible, we presume there would be little difficulty in raising the means to give it a trial.— ld. Political Aiuthv and Provincial Misgovernment. — The elections, which in most communities that are governed under free institutions, generally lead to a display of party spirit to an extent far from desirable, only serve in this province to bring out iv bolder relief the apathy of the electors in the discharge of the important duties devolving upon them. It is of universal occurrence that up to the day of nomination it remains a matter of doubt as to the names of the candidates to be brought forward, thus rendering any intelligent inquiry iuto their qualifications impossible ; and the result is, that in some cases members are returned (by a small portion of the constituency) who are utterly unqualified, and to whom, as

well aa to every one else, it must be a matter of no small surprise to find themselves dubbed as " legislators." At the present moment, there are three writs for representatives to the General Assembly, and one for a member of the Provincial Council, but no steps, so far as we are aware, have been tak,en with regard to either, nor any candidates named, with the exception of Mr. T. B. Gillies as one of the representatives for Bruce County, although the nomination for Tokomairiro takes place tomorrow, and for Bruce County on the 1 lth inst. We have been led to make these remarks from a consideration of the present critical position of the province, and of the urgent necessity that all who have an interest in its character and welfare should put their shoulders to the wheel in order to set the governmental machine in motion upon something like a level track. The contrast between our present position and that occupied by the province at the commencement of the last year, is one from the contemplation of which but little gratification is derivable. A new, and, it was hoped, vigorous administration had assumed the reins of Government j a balance of nearly a 640,000 was at their disposal ; the character, position, aud prospects of the province were such as to secure the confidence of all with whom it was connected ; and the sunshine of prosperity appeared to gild our onward course for many future years. Our hopes have proved but waking dreams. What has one short twelve-month done ? Public and private confidence has been shaken ; the Government is miserably disorganized, and is in fact only a mockery ; and the cash balance has been reduced from forty thousand pounds at the commencement of the year to five thousand at its termination. Thislatter sum, with about^s,ooo from the Land and Customs revenues during the present month, will not much more than cover the current expenditure, including £2,000 due for the Lady Egidia. What is to be done for the future ? The land sales are not likely to be immediately very productive, although we have little doubt the rise in the price will ultimately prove to be advantageous. Are the public works to be stopped, or are we to have recourse to loans or taxation ? It is worth while to ask ourselves these questions, however they may be pooh-poohed by those whose policy it is to put off the evil day. No doubt the stoppage of the land sales furnishes an explanation to some extent of our financial position ; but this was no unforeseen contingency, and assuredly under such circumstances the manner in which the public funds have been expended is most reprehensible ; as for instauce, £1,500 for the purchase of a hulk at Oamaru, unauthorised by the Council, but excused on the plea of urgent necessity and its practicability as compared with a jetty j and yet not a single bale of wool has been put on board, nor will be during the season, as the hulk has dragged her moorings, and got seriously damaged. Neither should the present time, above all others, have been chosen for the creation of useless offices, or the voting of large sums for an "idea" of a Lunatic Asylum, without either plan or estimate. The whole business of the province has been carried ou most loosely, not to say recklessly, and unless we can establish spme better system of government, our affairs will get into inexplicable confusion. The placing of the Executive upon a definite footing, and making that body really responsible to the Couucil, appears to us to be the first step ; but even this will be of little avail, except members be returned to the Council who are qualified and inclined to take an active interest in matters of more general importance than the formation of their own district roads. We have full confidence in the stamina of the province, aud in the sound sense of the community ; but we are now brought into circumstances of difficulty upon. the causes of which we have no desire lo eularge, and for our extrication from which a little more public spirit and energy must be evoked, or Otago caunot much longer hope to hold the high position to which she has attaiued.—Colonist February I.

£ s. (1. Land 3,046 17 9 Ordinary .... 7,583 15 4 Surplus revenue from General Government . . . 5,500 0 0 £16,130 13 1 While the expenditure has amounted to . . . 33,420 16 1